Nicola Tuthill claims historic hammer silver at European U23 Athletics Championships
21 July 2025
UCD student Nicola Tuthill claimed a historic silver in the hammer at the European U23 Athletics Championships, Ireland’s first ever medal in a field event at this grade.
The Cork native and Ad Astra Elite Sport Scholar at University College Dublin earned the runner-up spot at the competition in Bergen, Norway with a throw of 70.90m in the fourth round.
The 21-year-old went into the silver medal contention in the first round with a throw of 67.75m after Germany’s Aileen Kuhn, who struck gold with a personal best of 72.53m in round four, failed to register a distance.
Tuthill’s best throw of the competition was good enough to withstand a new national record for Valentina Savva of Cyprus, who third with a personal best throw of 70.22m.
Nicola Tuthill made history at the European Under-23 Championships yesterday by claiming silver in the women’s hammer. It's the first field event medal for Ireland at the championships. (opens in a new window)#RTEsport (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/BZweBRajI8
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) (opens in a new window)July 19, 2025
“I’m delighted, second was where I was ranked and that’s where I came,” she said.
“I’m always looking for a little bit more but these medals are so hard to come by so I’m delighted to get one.
“I’m not overly happy with my series of throws, I know there’s more in me, but it’s still another throw over 70 and in a major championship like this, where there’s nerves and everything that comes with it, I’m delighted.”
A rising star in Irish field events, the 21-year-old made her Olympic debut in the hammer at the 2024 Paris Games, and is only the third female Irish thrower to become an Olympian.
In June she broke her own Irish U-23 record with a 71.71m throw in Finland, becoming just the second Irish woman to ever throw beyond 70 metres in the Hammer Throw.
Named UCD’s ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ for 2025, she is also Ireland’s first ever gold medal winner at the European Throwing Cup.
Tuthill will be back in action at the World University Games in Germany, which begins this week.
Third for Sarah!
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) (opens in a new window)July 19, 2025
Another excellent run from Sarah Healy (UCD AC) who clocks 4:16.26 to finish third in the Women's Mile at the London Diamond League
The Dubliner moves to second on the Irish all-time list for the event behind Ciara Mageean(opens in a new window)#IrishAthletics (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/VrNvdIAtIN
Elsewhere at the European U23 Athletics Championships, former UCD Ad Astra Academy star Sarah Healy cemented 2025 as her breakout season by finishing third in the women’s mile.
The European indoor 3000m champion smashed her best time with 4:16.25, and now moves to second on the Irish all-time list for the distance behind fellow UCD alumna Ciara Mageean, who holds the national record at 4:14.58.
The Ad Astra Elite Sports Scholarship programme at University College Dublin supports students who are competing and succeeding at the highest sporting levels.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
